Returning to the turf after a nearly five-month layoff, and under the tutelage of a new trainer—New York-based Rob Atras—Law Professor earned his degree on opening day at Kentucky Downs Sept. 1. Under Julien Laparoux, the son of Constitution took the lead with a quartermile left to run and charged uphill towards the wire, prevailing by a half-length in the $394,000 FanDuel Tapit Stakes. A grade 2 winner last winter at Santa Anita Park on the dirt for Twin Creeks Racing Stables, co-owner Randy Gullatt believed there were more options for Law Professor on the East Coast, and the lucrative Kentucky Downs purses loomed as the ideal launchpad for the 4-year-old gelding. “I thought (the Tapit Stakes) was a good opportunity,” Gullatt said. “He was fit and acting like he was ready to run. So we took a shot.”
Stalking just off a sprightly early pace of :22.23 and 44.91 set by Megacity, Law Professor had yet to make his move as the Joe Sharp-trained Spanish Kingdom rolled to the front past the sixfurlong marker in 1:09. Leparoux shook up the gelding around the final turn and he split horses at the top of the stretch to defeat a game Spanish Kingdom under the wire
in a final time of 1:38.10 for the one mile and seventy yards.
Law Professor, a homebred for Twin Creeks, is the second foal produced from the multiple stakeswinning Ghostzapper mare Haunted Heroine. A half sister to grade 1 winner Celestine, Haunted Heroine is also the dam of an unraced 2-year-old gelding by Uncle Mo named Huntington and a yearling full sister to Law Professor who is selling in the 4th session at the Keeneland September Sale. The Tapit was restricted to horses that had not won a stakes in 2022. Last year In Love, who finished fifth in this year’s race, used his victory as a springboard to a win in the Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes (G1T). Gullatt indicated the Turf Mile could be next on the agenda for Law Professor.
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